Small money first; big money coming

We know that big money in many forms shapes our government. Politicians may claim that the interests of large contributors, accompanied by the checks they write, don´t influence their agendas and votes. But something has distorted our political system, and big money certainly is one of the corrosive factors.

A look at the latest post-primary campaign contribution reports from the Michigan Secretary of State´s Office illustrates the mismatch. The race for governor — incumbent Republican Rick Snyder against Democratic challenger Mark Schauer — has attracted more than 6,000 campaign contributions, most of them small. These are really whispering fans, supporting their team and players. In the next two months, we will see the deep-pocket political power brokers step up as the election approaches.

For now, with some minor exceptions, a look at campaign donations from gubernatorial supporters mid-Michigan is pretty egalitarian. The Michigan State Utility Workers Council gave $10,000 to Schauer on Aug. 22, raising its contribution to $54,000 so far for this election cycle. The money comes from a Lansing address, but it´s really a statewide payment.

There were no big local donations to Snyder´s reelection campaign. His largest contribution to date came from Joseph P. Kaiser IV of the Gallagher-Kaiser Corp. of Grosse Point Farms. He gave $6,800 on Aug 25, raising his total so far to $11,200. His company is a paint finishing supplier and assorted industrial processes. It was one of about 50 local contributions.

The largest contributions to the Schauer campaign — $68,000, to date from each — came from the SEIU Local 79 PAC and the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenter, both based in Detroit.

But that´s it for the really big money in this round of reports. There are, of course, political interests showing support for their team. The Whitmer Leadership Fund, based in Lansing, added $500 to its donations — $4,017.79 so far — to the Scahuer campaign. Former Michigan Attorney General Frank E. Kelley contributed $1,000, for a total of $3,000. And former Lansing Mayor Tony Benavidis sent his check to Schauer — $100.

From East Lansing, George H. Wyatt III, recently named chairman of the Michigan Compensation Appellate Commission, added $100 to his Snyder campaign contributions, for a total of $950. On the other side of the political ledger, a former chairwoman of the Michigan Employment Security Board of Review during the Granholm Administration and still an attorney with the State of Michigan, Amy Rosenberg, helped the Schauer campaign with a $100 contribution in July. Her total so far is $150.

Other notable locally based contributions to the Snyder campaign include $1,000 from Joseph P. Maguire, president and COE of Wolverine Development Corp. in East Lansing, Snyder is a politically comfortable fit for Maguire, a director and treasurer of the Mackinac Center For Public Policy board and a former director of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.

James E. McGillicuddy, an Okemos physician, sent off another $100 to the Snyder campaign, $225, so far this season. His wife, Susan, formerly Meridian Township´s Republican supervisor, ran a weak campaign in 2010 for the 69th District state House seat, losing to Sam Singh.

And finally there is small donation from Michael E. Moody of Williamston, who contributed $25 in July, $105 so far. A Michigan assistant attorney general, he was appointed state public administrator by Snyder in August 2011. This job is described by the state in grim bureaucratic language as having “oversight over the appointed county public administrators´ activities that effectuate disposition of the decedent´s body and manage the determination/collection/ liquidation/distribution of any assets in the decedent´s estate.”

Lets return to the Democrats.

Schauer received about 180 contributions from donors in the greater Lansing area, contributions that reflect the personality of the region. His donors cite affiliations with Michigan State University, the state workforce, consultants and trade associations.

A relatively large contribution to the Schauer campaign came from Patricia Smith of Lansing, who listed her background as as a public health consultant-State of Michigan. She donated $1,000 in July, bringing the total to $5,400.

Raymond Joseph of East Lansing, a prominent East Lansing attorney and longtime Democratic Party supporter, who died Aug. 7 at age 90, donated $500 to Schauer on Aug. 4. His total contributions totaled $1,600. Other large contributions to Schauer came from Charles L. Moore Jr., president of C.L. Moore and Associates in Lansing, an accounting firm, who donated $1,750; Barbara Free, from Holt, at $1,750; and Kevin Warner, of Holt, at $1,6,15.

The cut off for these post-primary contributions was Sept. 4 Another reporting period covers contributions through Oct. 19, with reports to the state due on Oct. 24. Expect the pace of giving to accelerate. A complete list of all donations is available in a searchable database on the secretary of state´s website. There are also reports pending for independent political committees, super PAC committees and political party committees.

Email Mickey Hirten at mickey@lansingcitypulse.com.